Sofa bed



Aug. 3 1926.

r c. HULTGREN som BED Filed Feb. 14, 1921 :s shams-sheet 2 u m. R

O W Q Q o o q Aug. s 1926. 1,594,732

' C. HULTGREN SOFA BED l Fed Feb. 14. 1921 3 SheetSfSheOt 5 Za fU zijnen Patented Aug. 3, 1926.

UNITED STATES CHARLES HULTGREN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO S. KARPEN 8a BROS., OFl

PATENT OFFICE.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORIORA'IION OF WES'I." VIRGINIA.

SOFA BED.

Application :filed February 14, 1921. Serial No. 444,724. i

The present invention relates particularly to sofa beds of the type in which the cushions of the sofa are adapted to be spread on the bed sections in the extended condi tion of the structure to serve as a mattress for the bed.

The primary object is to provide an improved and simplified construction having an improved mode of operation.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in whichy Fig. l'represents a vertical sectional view of thev structure in extended condition, the

section being taken as indicated at line 1-1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 1a a broken section on an enlarged scale. taken approximately as indicated at line 1a of Fig. 1; Fig. 2 a plan sectional view taken as indicated at line 2-2 of Fig. l; Fig. 8 a sectional view corresponding with the section shown in Fig. 1, but showing the structure in the folded or sofa form; Fig. 4 a sectional view taken as indicated at line 4--4 of Fig. 1; and Fig.

5 a broken vertical section taken as indicated at line 5 of Fig. 1..

In the embodiment shown,` A represents a main frame provided with a back A', 'end standards or arms A2 and front and rear cross members A3 and A4t extending longitudinally of the. main frame and connecting the base portions of the end standards;

a front bed section B, which in the foldedV condition of the structure is superposed over the rear section and becomes the seat portion on which the cushions are supported; a rear bed section C which is adapted to be lowered in the frame when the structure is converted to sofa forni; a front mattress section B and a rear mattress section C supportedby the bed sections B and C, respectively, the mattress section C being adapted to fold forwardly upon the section B about the point or line l, preparatory to converting the structure to sofa formgand a pair of parallel levers fulcrumed on each end of the main vframe and carrying the bed sections, each paircomprising a front lever D anda rear lever D. The frame A may be of any suitable construction and design.I It is shown as comprising substantial `end standards or arms which are rigidly connected at their back portions by the back A', the lower portions of the end, standards being staunchly connected together by the rails or stringers A3 and A4. The mainframe is preferably i equipped with casters 2.

The frames of the bed sections B and C i are alike in construction, but the bed section B is preferably. slightly longer than the bed section C, as will be understood from Fig. 2. Each bed section frameV comprises a marginal angle iron 3 and metal cross strips 3a which, at theirV points of intersection, support the coil springs 3b.

The end members of the frame 3 of the front bedsection have riveted to their rear portions metal attaching plates orstrips 4; and the end members of the rear bed sections have riveted to their front portions metal attaching strips 5. Firmly secured to the inner surface ofreach end standard atthe lower front portion thereof is a `metal mounting-plate Y 6.

vThe levers are of elbow form, the elbow portions of the front levers being pivotally connected with theV front portions of the mounting plates 6 by pivots 7, and the elf bow portions of the rear `levers being .con-

nected with the rear portions of the mounti ing plates 6 by pivots 8. Eachlever has aV forwardly-.extending long armi9 which inclines upwardly somewhat as shown in Fig. 1, and has an upstanding short arm 10. The long arms of the front levers are connected with the front portions of the `plates 4 of the front bed section by pivots 11; and the long arms of the rear` levers are connected with the rear portions of said plates 4 by pivots 12. The short arms of the front levers are connected with the front portions of the plates 5 of the rear bed section by pivots 18; and the short arms of the rear levers are connected with the rear portions of the plates 5V by pivots 14. In the operation of converting the structure to sofa-form, the pivots 11 and 12 follow the large arcs shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1 and move to the points designated 11a and 12a; and in this movement, the pivots 13 and 14 move tothe points designated 13a and 14a. 12 VinrFig. 3 correspond with the positions of the points 11a and 121 in Fig. 1; and the. position of the pivots'13 and 14 in Fig. 3 correspond with the position of the points 13? and 14a in Fig. l. As appears from The positions of the pivots 11 and Y Figs. la and 4, the short arms of the4 levers are oiiset away from the end;` standards so as to bring tlie'm'l into proper pl'an'es for connection with the plates 5 and the rear bed section; and the' oit-set' confditi'oir et the short arms of the front levers aliords spaces between the upper ends` of said short arms and the inner surfaces of the end standard o-:E the main frame for accommodating the long arms of the rear levers when the stru'cture is in the extended position.

the end standardsof theA main fra-me' may be equipped near their lower rear. corners with* stops or support'slupon which the rear Vportion or' the' lowery bed section may rest in the folded cmi-ditionV of the struc--y tur e;

The iront edge'V of the front' lied section is also equipped with suitably' upholstered front-piece l?? which forms a fronty piece for the min-n' frame'when the structure is in sofa-form, at which time the' ends ofthe' iroritpi-eee are housed bythe front portions of ili'e end standards' of the main r'ame. Prefera'blythe front piece extends l vs'oi'iiewhatabove thel plane of the' upper ends of-tlfie eei'lE springsB, so that the front edge of the mattress' or the projection;

The nrattress sections, it will-"bei uri-dere stood, are sirpp'li'e'd with covering' suitable for cushions; or, 'any event, they surfaces which are exposed when thestructure is in sofa-*form are so covered. i

'From the' description given, itV will be understood-that when the structure is to be converted Vfrom the bed forni shown in Fig". l to the sofa-form sli-own in Fig. 3, 'the mattres's' sectionl C is folded forwardly ontol the mattress sect-ion- B;-' the `front section is then-lifted sho-ved rearwardly and carri-cd by the lion-g' arms: of' the leverste` a position superposed about thel lrear section, the rear section settling down in the main-- frame as the operation proceedsand the rfi-ont seetiorr bei-ng lin-ally hou-seal' bei-,weeiifi-.lie arms of 'the marin frame. The' reverse operationwill be understood vwith out further ellescnsiption.rv 'The conversion from one form to another may be e'ected readily with` the exertion of comparatively slight' torce.

It will be understood that-thebed sec'- ti-oirsare carried parallel movements, ow:

ing to the para-el relation of tliecorre= cushion bear against'l spending arms of the levers. The rear edge of the rear bed?. section" is, inv thefextended condition of the structure, a suiiici'ent' distance in' front of the back A of the main -ira'me` to permit the-- slight rearward move',-

ment which! is necessary in thc operation of sitio-n1 shown in Fig. l to the position shown in Fig. 3. At the end of this movement, the rear' bed section* is centered in the main iframe, 'from front to rear, in la. position correspon-ding with its' positionwhen it is velev vated.

dropping the rear bed section from the pol ItY is desirable-thetone` set' of levers, at I least, shon'l'dbe tied together, `the purpose being' t'o` insure simultaneous' movement' of the levers at both ends of the sofa-bed, and" avoid .racli'ngand'- binding-` This Vis preferably accoinplislred by extending atie-rod 12" between Ythe` fro-nt eli-ds of' the rearr levers. 'llle endlportions ,.off this tie-rod (Fig. 5*) are 4journaledi inthe* members e,

thus furnishing the pivots 12'; and the e`x`` trein-ities of. the tie-rod arel made' vaifiguflai vand" riveted through angular perforat'ion's .in--

the iron-t ends of the long' arms of"- the pai-r of levers D. ln this mannerall ofthe` levers Vare caused toturn together, evenv thou-gh the lifting onzthe fron-t bed sect-ion" be done at one si'de of the longitndin-al cen-A ter. 1

It is preferred to provide the bed sed' tions with c'ounterbalancin'g means" 'which will in converting" the structure* from bed ornr to'sofal. form, viceversa'.k This spring 18 which has its'rea-r end secured to the back-portionof the sofa'frame and has its ro'ntfportion secured; tothe real bed section some Aclis'tari-ite back its een*y ter. This spring is ifi-nder* tension-*when the structure' is inthe exten-ded position and also when it is in the' folded' positiori.` It

its refar endY connection in the converti-ng the' structure'. p l

The construction vis' exceedingly simple,

operation of capable-ofbeing cheaply manirfactured, and

may be niade staunch and' durable without diiii'culty. f

The foregoing' detailedfk description yhas been givenior elearnes's or understandirre only, ma unnecessary una-rasees shoe-l 10.0, preferably is accomplished by" me'a'ns of "a will be neted that the spring' swings about befunderstood therefrom, but thefappended claims' Vslfioulld be construed yas broadly as permissible in View of t'lieprior art'.

What I-regardas new and desire to securey by Letters Patent, is:

1. lIn a' structure of the character `set forth,- the combination of "a lmain'i"11frie^- front and rear bed sections, the; fron-t' sect-ion being' somewhat longer than the rear sec--U tion',- end a pair of parallel levers feiern-med on each end of the rn'aii'il fra-nie and having`rl section.'

short. arms carrying the'rear bed` and having long arms carrying the front bed section, said short arms being offset from the plane of the long arms and the long arms of the rear set of levers swinging to a position below the bed-seotion pivots carried by the extremities of the short arms of the front set of levers, in the'operation of converting the structure to bed form.

2. ln a structure of the character set forth,the combinationof a main frame, front and rear bed sections, a pair of angular levers at each end of the structure and having their elbow portions fulcrumed on an end of said frame, said levers having short arms pvotally connected with the rear bedsection and long arms pivotally connected with the front bed-section, a longitudinal connecting rod having its end rportions rigidly connected with the long arms of one set of levers, said rod aifording the pivotal :connections between said last-mentioned arms and front bed-section, the long arms of the rear set of levers being adapted to work past the upper ends of the short arms of the front set of levers when the structure is in the extended position and the short arms of said levers being adapted to carry the rear bed-section rearwardly a substantial distance and then forwardly substantially the same distance in the operation of folding the structure, and coil springs having their frontV ends connected with the rear bed-section and having their rear ends connected with stationary supports disposed at a plane intermediate between the upper and lower positions of the rear bed-section.

3. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of Ia main frame, a pairrof angular levers at each' end of said frame, said levers having their elbow portions fulcrumed on the frame and having upstanding short arms and forwardly-extending long arms, the long arms of the rear levers being adapted to swing past the extremities of the short arms of the front levers in the operation of converting the structure to the bed-form, front and rear bed sections mounted respectively on the short arms and the long arms of said levers, and a mattress on said bed sections, said mattress having a rear section adapted to be folded forwardly onto the front section to afford a cushion, said levers being adapted to carry the front section rearwardly and lower it substantially to the level it occupies in the open position and to lower correspondingly the rear bed-section, the rear section in the operation of converting the structurefrom bed form to sofa form.

CHARLES HULTGREN. 

